House rejects McGovern amendment, votes to cut food stamps

Wednesday

Jun 19, 2013 at 6:00 PMJun 19, 2013 at 7:04 PM

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The House late this afternoon voted to cut food stamps by $2 billion a year.

The chamber rejected by a 234-188 vote a Democratic amendment sponsored by Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, to a wide-ranging farm bill that would have maintained current spending on food stamps and cut farm subsidies instead.

The bill cuts the $80 billion-a-year program by about 3 percent and makes it harder for some people to qualify.

The Senate passed a farm bill last week that would make much smaller cuts to the food stamp program, which has doubled in cost since 2008.

Democrats are opposing the bill because of the food stamp cuts, while some conservatives say the cuts aren't deep enough.

The amendment by Mr. McGovern and other Democrats would have eliminated the SNAP cuts and taken the money from farm subsidies instead.

“It's too big, it's too harsh and it's going to hurt so many people,” McGovern said of the food aid cuts.

Farm-state lawmakers are trying to win bipartisan backing for the measure, but are facing defections from both parties over the SNAP cuts.

It was unclear whether Republican leaders would have the votes needed to pass the massive bill, and a final vote may not come until next week.